In particular, Croft picks Valmont Industries (VMI) as an investment vehicle not just for its farm irrigation system but for its mechanized irrigation equipment that is portable and conveniently transportable.

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Instead of a tractor and irrigation equipment, all SPIN farmers need are a few hand tools, maybe a Roto-tiller, and a commercial cooler to store their crops until they can get them to market.

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Five are commercial ventures, including the overall winner, Bioneedle, and a Kenya-based social enterprise, Backpack Farm Agriculture Program, which sells tools and products like seeds and drip irrigation equipment to small commercial farmers in East Africa.

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Rolando, a young infantryman in our area of responsibility, won over local farmers by spontaneously shedding his equipment and helping them dig irrigation ditches one day while on patrol.

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The rest comes from Regals gears, gearboxes and other power transmission equipment for cars, trains, boats and irrigation systems, plus electric motors and generators.

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Similarly, traditional irrigation methods can be made more efficient, but the best equipment needs to be imported.

ECONOMIST: China